1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a holder for tools, fasteners and supplies that is intended to be mounted on the top of a conventional folding stepladder having a four-legged, top-hinged frame.
2. Prior Art
Various stepladder-mounted pocketed holders for tools, fasteners and the like have been proposed heretofore for the convenience of a person standing on the ladder.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,854 to McGee discloses a pocketed holder for tools and supplies that is shaped to fit snugly over the top of a conventional folding stepladder. Other shaped tool holders of the same general type are disclosed in Weller U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,437, Kornblatt U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,530, and Armstrong U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,383.
Cook U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,535 (FIG. 3) discloses an open-bottomed, non-folding, vertical sided, box-like tool holder that seats on top of a folding stepladder.
Hardy U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,915 discloses a foldable tool holder with a rectangular central top panel that rests on top of a stepladder and four pocketed rectangular side panels or xe2x80x9cskirtingsxe2x80x9d that hang down from the respective edges of the top panel and are attached to it by various means, including sewn stitching, a zipper, buttonable or clippable straps, and rivets. Straps are provided on the lower ends of the side panels or skirtings for tying them to the ladder""s support rails.
Cassells U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,453 discloses a foldable tool holder with a rectangular, central top panel that fits on top of a stepladder and four pocketed trapezoidal side panels that hang down from the respective edges of the top panel. The side panels are attachable to each other at their lower ends by hook and loop tapes on straps that respectively wrap around the legs, one front step and one back rung of the ladder.
The present invention is directed to a novel tool holder for snug, substantially form-fitting attachment to the top of a conventional stepladder to make tools, fasteners, supplies and the like readily accessible to a person standing on the ladder.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and advantageous stepladder-mounted tool holder that can be readily applied to the top of the ladder with a snug fit that keeps it securely in place on the ladder.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a tool holder having a manually attachable and detachable front panel that enables the remainder of the tool holder to be positioned on the ladder before the front panel is attached, and when detached enables the ladder user to stand on upper steps of the ladder without interference from the tool holder.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings.